The present invention relates to forms from which a system obtains information for use in controlling subsequent operations of the system.
Baran et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,333, describe interactive techniques relating to paper selector sheet forms that a user can mark with a pencil or pen to select and retrieve facsimile pages from a shared facsimile data base FAX server system ("FAX server"). A FAX server unit processes a facsimile signal, interprets the selector sheet, and selects pages desired to be retrieved. FIGS. 2a-2e show various selector sheets; as described at col. 7 lines 5-20, a user may obtain information by transmitting a bar code to the FAX server via a FAX transceiver, and the FAX server decodes the bar code and transmits a copy of stored information to the FAX transceiver. FIG. 2f shows a selector sheet for adding data to the FAX server's stored data base; such a sheet could also be used to remove or modify information in the data base. FIG. 2g, as described at col. 8 line 49-col. 9 line 3, shows a follow-up form that a FAX server might provide to a user at the end of a transmission of data pages via a FAX transceiver. As described at col. 10 lines 42-56, a selector sheet contains a field for the mailing and telephone addresses of an information requestor. This field can be filled in by pencil, pen, or typewriter. The FAX server retains the address field as a separate facsimile based image. Because its area is relatively small, this image may be stored and transmitted at relatively low cost, combined with digital data derived from constrained numbers in bingo fields. A FAX transmission of an information request might consist of a FAX image of the address field plus the interpreted bingo fields.